This document provides an overview of topics that will be covered related to relativity and particle physics. It will discuss concepts of special relativity including frames of reference, relativistic kinematics, particles and interactions, and quarks. There will be end of topic tests after completing sections on relativity and another test after the particle physics sections. Today's lesson will focus on frames of reference, defining what a frame of reference is, Galilean transformations, and solving problems involving relative velocities. It provides an example using different frames of reference on spaceships to illustrate apparent motion based on the observer's perspective.

1. Option D
Relativity and Particle Physics

2. Topics we’ll see
D1 Introduction to relativity
D2 Concepts and postulates of special relativity
D3 Relativistic kinematics
D4 Particles and interactions
D5 Quarks

3. Assessment
End of topic tests after completing parts D1 to D3
End of topic tests after completing parts D4 and D5
Project work
Remember this is 50% of IB Physics paper 3

4. Today’s lesson
Assessment statement
Frames of reference
D.1.1 Describe what is meant by a
frame of reference.
D.1.2 Describe what is meant by a
Galilean transformation.
D.1.3 Solve problems involving
relative velocities using the
Galilean transformation
equations.
D1 Introduction to relativity How something appears to move is
based on where you are looking from.

5. Keywords
• Observer
• Frame of reference
• Transformation

6. Frames of reference
Definition:
A set of axes that allow
the position of an object
to be defined at any given
time.
for example, an observer
for this frame of reverence
would see the spaceship
move away from him
along the y axis.
x
z
y

7. Point A
An observer is placed at Point A
If the spaceship
have a speed of
300m/s it will
appear to be
moving away
from point A at
the same speed

8. Point A
An observer is placed at Point A
The British spaceship still has a speed of
300m/s. The Mexican spaceship is moving
in the opposite direction of 200m/s.
The apparent speed for the Mexican ship
when observed from Point A is -200m/s

9. What is the apparent speed of the British
ship if you were looking out of a window on
the Mexican Ship?

10. Let’s make the Mexican ship the frame
of reference
500m/s

11. The Mexican ship rotates 180 degrees
and matches the British ships speed.

12. The Mexican ship rotates 180 degrees
and matches the British ships speed.
If you were on either ship, it would appear
that the other ship was stationary, and that
everything else you could see would appear
to be moving.